Grille assembly



April 12, 1949. E. l.. HART ETAL 2,467,309

GRILLE AS SEMBLQY Filed Jan. 8, 4194e Patented Apr. 12, 1949v GRILLEASSEMBLY Edward L. Hart and Charles Melvin Moore, Philadelphia, Pa.,assig'nors, by mesne assignments, to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 8, 1946, SerialNo. 639,855

2 Claims.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a grille assemblywherein the grille element is mounted in the supporting structure foradjustment selectively into a plurality of differing operativepositions, said assembly including means for retaining said elementcaptive in the structure and for tensioning the element to preventrattling.

More specifically, the invention contemplates an assembly wherein thesupporting structure 2 bars ia to the opposite bar, and which areinclined to the plane of the grille so as to exert a directional ordeflecting effect upon air propelled through the opening 2 from theinterior of the comprises a frame in which the grille element may bereceived in any one of a number of diilering predetermined positions,together with means for retaining the grille element captive whilepermitting retraction of the element from the frame for reinsertion inanother of the alternative positions.

The invention further contemplates an assembly of the aforesaidcharacter wherein the said retaining means functions also as a `meansfor tensioning the grille against rattling in the frame.

The invention resides also in certain novel structural details andarrangements hereinafter described and illustrated in the attacheddrawings, wherein,

Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are fragmentary views in perspective showing agrille assembly in accordance with the invention, the grille elementoccupying different ones of the four possible positions of adjustment inthe respective views;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 5-5, Fig. 4; i

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the assembly as shown inFigs. 4 and 5, partially in section on the line 6-6 of the latterfigure, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line 'I-1, Fig. 5.

With reference to the drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustrationonly, the grille assembly has been shown in application to an airconditioning unit, the casing of said unit, constituting the supportingstructure for the assembly, is indicated by the reference numeral I. Setinto this casing, and dening the edges of an aperture 2 therein, is arectangular frame 3, said frame having an outwardly extending lip oriiange l, which overlies the edges of the casing I surrounding saidaperture, and having at its inner end a peripheral inwardly extendingflange 5 which forms a seat for a grille element 6. When thusseated, thegrille element is, in effect, inserted in the aperture 2 and neatlyfills the latter.

The grille element 6 comprises a series of louvres or vanes 'l whichextend in parallel spaced relation across theelement from one of theside casing. Obviously, the actual direction of such deflection willdepend upon the position of the grille in the frame, 3. When the grilleis positioned as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the inclined louvres act todirect the outilowing air to the right, as indicated by the arrows inFigure 4.

l When the grille is adjusted through an angle of in a clockwisedirection, the air will be defiected downwardly as indicated in Figurel. A further adjustment of the grille through another angle of 90 willcause the air to be deflected to the left as indicated in Figure 3; andin the fourth position, as shown in Figure 2, the air will be directedupwardly.

These adjustments of the grille may be effected A by lifting the grillebodily from the frame 3 and reinserting it in the desired position. Itis desirable, however, that means be provided for retaining the grillecaptive so that while it is possible to remove the grille from the frameto make the aforesaid adjustmens, it cannot be entirely removed from thestructure. To this end, the grille is attached at its inner side to astrip 8 of flexible material, preferably resilient in character for apurpose hereinafter set forth. In the present instance, the strip iscomposed of spring steel and is provided at its mid section with anaperture 9 for reception of a stud Il which projects from the inner sideof the grille and at the center of the latter. The stud II is threadedfor reception of a nut I2, which preferably is of a selflockingcharacter, whereby the grille is attached to the strip. In the presentinstance, the stud II is formed at the end of a metallic pin I3 which isforcibly inserted in a recess I4 in a knob I5 formed integrally with andat the center of the grille.

The ends of the strip 8 occupy positions, respectively, within metallicchannel elements IG--IS which are secured by screws I'I to the casing I,said casing being provided in its inner side and at points adjoining theedges of the aperture 2 with recesses I8 for reception of the saidchannels. One of the screws of each pair, namely that one which liesnearest to the edges of said aperture, passes through a slot I9 in theend of the strip 8 so that the strip in effect is secured at each end tothe casing I. rBy reason of the slots I9, the strip is afforded acertain limited longitudinal movement in the channels I6 with respect tothe channels and to the casing. This 3 longitudinal movement is sumcientto permit the strip to assume a position. shown in broken lines inFigure 5, when the grille is lifted from the frame 3. Normally, thespring will assume the l ment purposes as described, and to tensionthegrille to prevent rattling thereof in the frame due to vibration ofthe structure. 1

It will be noted by reference to Figures 5, 6, and 7 that the channelsI0 which house the ends f the strip l are provided with flanges I'l-Ziwhich provide a bearing surface for the extremities of the strip andprevent the said extremities from contacting directly with the casingVl. Any wear that might develop by reason of the movements of the endsof the strip falls, therefore, upon the channels rather than upon theother elements of the structure. It will be noted also that the channelsI6 extend beyond the edges of the casing I and that the frame I ischanneled at the underside for reception of the projecting` ends ofthechannels IO as indicated at 22.

In operation, if it is desired to change the position of the grille inits frame, it is merely necessary to withdraw the grille bodily throughthe medium of the knob i to the position shown in broken lines in Figure5. While in this retracted position, the grille may be rotated freelyabout the axis of the stud Il, such rotation being permitted by theaforedescribed loose connection between the grille and the strip 8. Thegrille may then be replaced in the desired position wherein it isresiliently retained by action of the spring strip 8 as described.

We claim:

1. vIn a grille assembly, a structure including a frame of non-circularform, a grille fitted to and seating in the frame and receivable in thelatter in a plurality oi' differing positions, a leaf spring spanningthe inner side of the frame and connected to the grille in amannertogpermit -angular movements of the grille with respect to the springand to the structure into said diiering positions, said spring bearingat its ends against the structure and exerting resilient pressuretending normally to retain the grille against its seat in the frame, andmeans for anchoring thev spring in the structure, said means including asliding connection between an end of the spring and the structure so asto permit retraction of the grille from the frame.

2. In a grille assembly, a structure including a frame of non-circularform, a grille fitted to and seating in the v'frame and receivable inthe latter in a plurality of differing positions, a leaf spring ispanning the inner side of the frame and connected to the grille in amanner to permit angular movements of the grille with respect to thespring and to the structure into said differing positions, said springbearing at its ends against the structure and exerting resilientpressure tending normally to retain the grille against its seat in theframe, means for attaching the ends of the spring to the structure, saidattaching means affording movement of the spring relative to thestructure yto an extent permitting retraction-of the grille vfrom theframe, and housing means embracing the said spring ends.

EDWARD L. HART.

CHARLES MELVIN MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

